GOVERNMENT NOTICE

DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION Mrs Angie Motshekga, MP

Minister of Basic Education
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY ACT, 1996 (ACT NO 27 OF 1996)
2021 SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

I, Angelina Matsie Motshekga, Minister of Basic Education, acting in terms of section 3(4)(k) of the National Education Policy Act, 1996,
(Act No. 27 of 1996), and after consultation with the Council of Education Ministers, hereby publish the 2021 School Calendar for public
schools in South Africa as detailed in the accompanying schedule.

2021 SCHOOL CALENDAR COMMON CALENDAR

January 2021 February 2021 March 2021 Key
S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S
Weekends
1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Days for administration
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 School days
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Public holidays
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 28 29 30 31 Special school holidays
31
School holidays
April 2021 May 2021 June 2021

S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S Public and School Holidays 2021

1 2 3 1 1 2 3 4 5

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 01 January New Year’s Day

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
21 March Human Rights Day
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

25 26 27 28 29 30 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 29 30 22 March Public holiday

30 31
02 April Good Friday

July 2021 August 2021 September 2021 05 April Family Day

S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S

1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 26 April Special School holiday

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
27 April Freedom Day
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 01 May Workers’ Day

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30
16 June Youth Day

October 2021 November 2021 December 2021 09 August National Women’s Day
S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S

1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 24 September Heritage Day

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
16 December Day of Reconciliation
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 25 December Christmas Day

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 26 27 28 29 30 31

31 26 December Day of Goodwill

Terms Duration No. of No. of No. of public Actual no. of school

weeks days holidays days
Term 1 (11) 13 January – 26 Mar 11 53 (55) 1 52 (54)
Term 2 13 April – 25 June 11 54 2+1 51
Term 3 20 July – 01 October 11 54 2 52
Term 4 12 October – 08 (10) Dec 09 42 (44) 0 42 (44)
Total 42 203 (207) 5+1 197 (201)